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What To Do If You've Found a Pit Bull

If you are reading this, you've likely found a Pit Bull and don't know where to start to help him or her. You may have already contacted local shelters only to find out that many of them have a policy against the breed and don't adopt out Pit Bulls, or they are full to the brim. No-Kill shelters have a long waiting list, and open-door facilities offer no guaranty the dog will be adopted out to a good home.

Yes, things may not be easy, but if you are committed to helping this dog, there are resources out there to help. PBRC amongst others, can assist you in your quest to find your little protégé a good home.

Before you start looking for a new home however, you might want to check the "lost" ads in your local paper to see if someone is looking for their dog. You could also place a "found" ad in your local paper.

MPR recommends KC PET CONNECT as an excellent resource for lost and found pets in the Kansas City area

Often these services are free. You should also report the dog found to the animal shelter that covers the area where the dog was found. We recommend that you give very little information about the dog (e.g. found Pit Bull). If an owner contacts you they will need to provide some identifying characteristics (gender, collar information, color, etc.). This will ensure that the correct owner claims the dog. Sadly, Pit Bulls attract more than their share of unsavory individuals.

Post "found" flyers in and around the location the dog was found. Finally, have the dog scanned for a microchip (a permanent form of ID implanted between the shoulder blades) at the local shelter or a veterinarian's office.

If there is no response to these efforts, you can try to contact a Pit Bull-friendly shelter or a specialized rescue group in your region to see if they have room for the dog. PBRC has a listing of Pit Bull-friendly organizations and animal shelters. If you'd like to check one in your region or neighboring states, please go to Rescue Organizations.

Note that most groups are completely full and your chance of finding an organization that will take the dog is very slim. PBRC cannot take dogs either as it is not a dog shelter. Neither PBRC or MPR maintain a database of referrals and all the foster homes we know are full. The dog's best chances are if you can foster him/her or find someone who can until a suitable home can be found.

Be advised that it can take months to find the "right" home for a Pit Bull. Before you take the responsibility of placing the dog, please make sure he/she has a good and stable disposition towards people of all ages. People-aggression is an undesirared trait with this breed. The help of a professional trainer or animal behaviorist is recommended if you don't have experience with this. You can also refer to PBRC's basic Temperament Evaluation Test.

The dog should be spayed or neutered prior to being listed for adoption and have current vaccinations. Be aware that placing an intact dog will only make things harder for the dog and for you, not to mention for all the dogs who die homeless. Please don't take a chance that the dog you saved contributes to the homeless dog problem. And remember, responsible and caring individuals would rather adopt an altered dog, while dog fighters and abusive owners prefer intact dogs. You will increase the dog's chance of find a better home if he/she is altered before being listed.

You can also call the following numbers for low cost spay/neuter referrals and vouchers: 1-800-248-SPAY or 1-800-321-PETS. Click here for a list of free or low cost spay/neuter programs for Pit Bulls.

When the dog has been evaluated, spayed or neutered, and is current on all shots, we invite you to list the dog with PBRC to help get the word out about him/her. You will need to fill in the listing form. Remember that PBRC is an online listing service only without a physical building. Their mission is to provide free web pages for people seeking Internet exposure for Pit Bulls in need, as well as to provide adoption information and breed education. All of the dogs available for adoption in the web site are in independent foster care or animal shelters. PBRC is not responsible for the dogs listed or their placement.

PBRC receives applications every day from people who want to adopt a Pit Bull. Their volunteers carefully review those applications, rate them, comment on them, and forward them to the caretakers of the dogs selected by the applicant. This is only a pre-screening service and PBRC recommends you verify that the information provided in the application is correct, that you ask additional questions of your own, call the references provided, and conduct a home check. If you are open to out-of-state adoptions, PBRC may be able to help arrange a home check if we have volunteers near the potential owners.

Avoid same sex-placements and multiple dog homes, and do not place a Pit Bull without providing essential breed information to the new owner(s). You need to understand these dogs in order to find a good home for them. PBRC has a breed information page that contains excellent information. Please, take the time to read it so you can, in turn, educate potential adopters.

Don't rely ONLY on the PBRC listing to place the dog because, as you'll notice, there are a lot of Pit Bulls available in the site. Other ways to advertise include posting flyers at veterinarian's offices, grooming shops, pet supply stores and anywhere there is a public bulletin board.